Chapter Ten: News of a Nine Tailed 'Youko'?

((A/N: This chapter is actually a partial cliff-hanger...in case I decide to write a follow-up story. Pay attention to the ending, you'll see.))

As they all walked into the first class of the day, Ryne wearing a visitor's badge, everyone welcomed Skye and Kurama back and exclaimed over the twins. The teacher came in with her usual excuses for being late. Hiei smirked as usual and telepathically told Kurama, 'She was very busy with the math teacher down the hall.' they both tried not to laugh. 'What was that with Ryne earlier, Hiei? Kyna and Lyana both told me you stole her tear away...' Kurama asked with a mental smirk. Hiei shrugged, 'I'm not sure what that was...other than curiosity. Look, it's a tear gem, you know how rare those are.' he mentally whispered. 'I see, so you just happened to know that it was, and thought you'd like to study it?' Kurama asked slyly. Hiei showed it to him, smirking more. 'Well, you see what it looks like, right? And you heard her last night.' It was a tear gem, but the colors stood out clearly.

Amethyst, aquamarine and emerald. 'That looks like...' Kurama began...'So that gem is a tear she once cried.' Hiei replied, nodding. 'Then you shouldn't just keep...' Kurama began and Hiei chuckled, tossing Kurama the gift bag. 'It's fine, there is one for everyone. Me, You, Skye, the kits, Jin, Yusuke, Keiko...just look.' he said. Kurama raised an eyebrow, but sure enough, the bag was full of similar tear gems to the one Hiei held. Kurama looked at Skye, who was playing with her hair and looking out the window. Kyna and Lyana were sitting on her desk, playing with pens and paper as they learned to draw and write. Jin was in the back of the room, drawing no attention to himself. Keiko and Ryne were talking, and Yusuke and Kuwabara were just not paying any attention at all. So, naturally, the teacher called them to the board to solve problems. The two 'baka ningens' failed to solve the problems correctly, and the teacher assigned them extra homework as a punishment.

The whole school day passed without a single strange thing happening. It was what appeared to be an ordinary monday morning, stretching slowly towards afternoon. The only new students in the school were Jin and Ryne, Jin posing as an irish exchange student and Ryne posing as Keiko's cousin from Ireland paying a visit to their school to see if she would like to be an exchange student here. At lunch time, the usual discussion of classes began amoungst friends at their lunch tables. "You should have seen the art teacher's face when Hiei presented his project, a whole week before the deadline." Keiko told Yusuke, who had skipped that class to tell Koenma about Ryne. "Uh-huh, I'm sure it was neat." Yusuke said boredly, yawning. Keiko pouted, but continued talking to him anyway. Hiei sat staring out the window and barely touched his food, a sure sign that something was bothering him. Not that he would willingly admit it or talk about it. As much as Kurama hated to see his friend so worried, he knew better than to draw attention to it. Suddenly, Ryne sighed, and Skye looked between Ryne and Hiei, turning to glance at Kurama questioningly.

Once more Ryne sighed, this time quieter, as Hiei looked in the direction where the ocean was, and then in the exact opposite direction. He seemed confused for a moment, then contacted Kurama telepathically, 'Hey, kitsune? Would you mind coming up to the roof with me?' Kurama nodded and they excused themselves and sped towards the school roof. "Okay, tell me you sense it too?" Hiei said once they were away from the humans and the rest of the Spirit Detective team. Kurama strained his senses, then said softly, "Oh...it's coming from the American portion of human world...wait...no way." he said as Hiei caught his gaze and nodded. "Yes, it's a youko, S-class powers, suppressed though but not permanantly, and it's a nine tails." Hiei replied, as Kurama nodded. "What should we do, though? Hiei? Hiei...what are you?" Hiei held up a hand as he untied the bandana covering his jagen eye. "Hush, Kitsune...I'm going to try questioning the nine tailed one, find out everything I can. If it's a threat, we can inform Koenma about it." he said wisely. Kurama chuckled, that was what he thought, Hiei was already three steps ahead of everyone else, as usual.

Hiei tensed, then he covered his jagen eye and chuckled even as a tear rolled down his cheek. "That was the most insane conversation I've ever had. First off, she works as a sort of Spirit Detective over there, second, she's one of those 'mages' they use over there for special missions. Third, she's one of those wolf/fox creatures that are similar to and related to youkos, but not the same thing. She's not a threat at all." Hiei said, and Kurama burst out laughing. "So, you worried for no reason and got to talk to someone that admirable?" Kurama asked him quietly, and Hiei nodded. 'Yes, well...much as this may seem rude, I'd rather you not talk about me behind my back, even to praise me.' A strange female voice said in both Kurama and Hiei's minds. They glanced at each other and sweatdropped, and Hiei whispered, "That's her...she's a very good telepath, but it's not normal telepathy. It's advanced."

Kurama blinked, then decided to respond to the strange creature. 'Why? Is something wrong over there?' he asked carefully. 'Not telling you. It's my business. Besides, my life is so complicated that you'd both have given up long ago if you were me.' came her prompt response. Kurama raised an eyebrow, and Hiei shrugged. 'Is there any reason why you continue to go on, if your life is so bad?' Kurama asked slyly, hoping to get a less confusing answer, but he was out of luck. 'If I told you my reason, he would be mad at me. I cannot tell a secret to demons such as yourselves without first asking my demons for permission.' she responded, chuckling. Hiei grinned, asking, 'Well, can you tell us your name or what to call you?' there was silence for a long time. 'Call me Stormaeus.' she said. They returned to the lunch room, and Ryne turned to acknowledge their presences with a slight nod.

'Ryne knows, but she wont tell, and we shouldn't either.' Hiei thought in warning to Kurama. 'Of course.' Kurama replied tersely as he sneezed lightly. All the rest of the day, Hiei had a faraway look in his eyes and was often looking westward. At times, he even put his head in his hands, and Kurama guessed he was either crying but hiding it from everyone, suffering a headache or laughing hard. After school, Hiei took Kurama aside and told him, "Well, I know as much as she would tell me. I admire Stormaeus, she's brave, strong, and determined. But we have to keep to our own business now. Here, hide these somewhere safe." and he handed him another small bag and vanished. Kurama shook his head, he would never completely understand Hiei...and he went to find Skye and the kits. They were going to Spirit World to get the kits blessed today.

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